The Gastrointestinal System (mammals) Flashcards
Name 4 structures of the gastrointestinal system
Any from:
- Mouth
- Pharynx
- Oesophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Large intestine
- Liver and gall bladder
- Pancreas
Name the 4 salviary glands
- Parotid
- Mandibular
- Sublingual
- Zygomatic
What does feline saliva lack?
Amylase
What is the function of amylase?
Breaks down starch into smaller carbohydrate molecules
Which part of the nervous system controls rate of saliva production?
Autonomic nervous system
Where can small salivary glands be found?
Lips, cheeks, tongue, soft palate and pharynx
Which animal group produces the most amylase in saliva?
Herbivores
Describe the process of swallowing
Bolus of food is pushed to back of mouth by tongue
Soft palate raised to block nasopharynx
Hyoid apparatus moves forward and epiglottis closes the larynx
Pharynx opens
Bolus is pushed to top of pharynx by tongue
Pharynx closes
Peristalitic waves carry found down oesophagus to stomach
Soft palate lowers
Hyoid apparatus moves backwards, epiglottis moves forwards, larynx opens
Why does the soft palate raise when swallowing
To block off nasopharynx
Which type of muscular motion moves food down the oesophagus
Peristalsis
Where is the oesophagus located
Down the left side of the neck, transverses the mediastinum and enters stomach at cardiac sphincter
Name 3 gastric secretions
Mucus
Pepsinogen
Hydrochloric acid
Which type of meal slows gastric emptying
High fat meals
What is the pH of gastric secretions
less than 2
What 3 types of cells are found in the stomach
Goblet cells
Parietal cells
Chief cells
What is the function of chief cells
releases pepsinogen which breaks up proteins
What is pepsinogen activated into
the digestive enzyme pepsin
When is pepsinogen activated into pepsin
when it comes into contact with hydrochloric acid from the gastric parietal cells
Which cells produce hydrochloric acid
Gastric parietal cells
What is the function of goblet cells
To produce mucus to protect gastric mucosa from autodigestion
which gastric cells prevent autodigestion
Goblet cells
What is the function of parietal cells
to produce hydrochloric acid - that denatures proteins, kills pathogenic bacteria and turns pepsinogen into pepsin
Which gastric secretion kills pathogenic bacteria
Hydrochloric acid
What are the 3 parts of the small intestine
Ileum
Jejunum
Duodenum
What is the shape of the jejunum
Long and coiled
What does the ileum lack
Vili on the mucosa
What is mucosa
a membrane that lines various cavities in the body and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue
What is the function of the enzyme trypsin
Breaks down proteins into peptides and amino acids in small intestine
Where does trypsin work
small intestine
Where do proteins mainly get broken down into amino acids
Small intestine
What is the function of lipase
To break down lipids (fats) after bile breaks them down into droplets
What is the function of amylase
to break down starch into smaller carbohydrate molecules
Where is amylase mainly found
Saliva
Pancreas
What comprises the large intestine
Caecum
Colon
Rectum
Which section of the large intestine is particularly big in rabbits
Caecum
Does the small or large intestine have a slower transit time
Large intestine is slower
What kind of digestion happens in the large intestine
Microbial digestion
fibre breakdown
Which part of the digestive system does water and electrolytes get absorbed?
Large intestine
in which part of the digestive system does b vitamins and vitamin k get extracted
large intestine
Which feature do some small mammals have that larger ones don’t
cheek pouches for food storage
What type of digester are small mammals
Well developed hindgut fermenters
Herbivores
How do small mammals mechanically break down food
Through teeth and stomach contractions
Where does absorption of nutrients generally occur in small mammals
Duodenum onwards (large intestine)
What is the function of the digestive system
to ingest food and break it down into simple compounds that can be absorbed and utilised by the body
List 3 functions of the tongue
The manipulation of food.
The tasting of food (the surface is covered with taste buds).
Grooming.
What is the collective name given to the numerous small projections on the surface of the tongue used for grooming?
Papillae
What are 5 functions of saliva
Moisten food to optimise enzyme effects
Lubricate food for ease of passing down oesophagus
Moisten mouth - to prevent mucous membranes drying out
Produce mucous
produce alpha amylase to break down starch
Why is the caecum of little significance in the cat and dog?
It is a site where bacteria are used to breakdown coarse vegetable matter and the cat and dog are carnivores – more significant in herbivores to break down fibre
Where does fibre breakdown occur
Caecum
